Goodfield plant reverses fortunes, will add jobs

Instead of eliminating 200 jobs, a company that makes agricultural equipment plans to stay in Goodfield and double its workforce, a company official said Friday.

Steve Tarter

Instead of eliminating 200 jobs, a company that makes agricultural equipment plans to stay in Goodfield and double its workforce, a company official said Friday.

CNH Global had announced in 2006 that the Goodfield plant that manufactures tillage equipment and field cultivators for Case IH was to be closed.

A booming ag economy changed those plans.

"The business reasons for the decision (to maintain the Goodfield plant) was customer demand beyond our forecast levels. Our market share is up," said Peter Caddick, manager of the Goodfield plant.

Caddick credited the Goodfield workers for their performance under trying circumstances over the past two years - after hearing that the plant was to close.

"This team of people has delivered on time despite an uncertain future," he said.

As a result, CNH will now invest in the Goodfield plant, said Caddick.

"We're talking about doubling our workforce. We'll take a responsible attitude with that workforce and do it slowly over time," he said.

Caddick said that additional workers would be added to existing shifts over the next year.

Workers are understandably happy about the company's decision. "Emotions have come out. These people here have earned it," said Caddick.

Look for additional investment in the Goodfield plant, he said.

In a prepared statement, Brad Crews, a CNH vice president, said the company would "begin an investment plan to increase our capacity, replace aged equipment and achieve world class manufacturing standards."

Soil management equipment that had been transferred to the company's plant in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in Canada will now be returned to the Goodfield plant, company officials stated.

"The Goodfield operation is one of the primary plants producing crop production equipment for Case IH," said Randy Baker, Case IH president and CEO.

Baker said Case IH models such as the True-Tandem 330 Turbo vertical tillage unit and Ecolo-Tiger 870 disk ripper, both produced in Goodfield, have proved extremely popular with customers.